July
2, 2014
Imperial
Valley Press
By
Chelcey Adami
While the
Imperial County jail’s medical facilities are adequate for the time being, it
will eventually need more resources as more inmates come in and stay longer due
to realignment, the Imperial County Civil Grand Jury noted, and hope is on the
horizon in the form of a new jail facility projected to be completed by the end
of 2016.
Members of
the Civil Grand Jury toured the jail and inspected it using a checklist
recommended by previous juries as well as any additional information requested
by jury members.
The jail
staff discussed the impacts of realignment with the jury members and explained
the jail received more than 100 Assembly Bill 109 offenders that would have
gone to prison previous to AB 109, also known as realignment. AB 109 was passed
in October 2011 to shift lower-level and other low-risk offenders to local
jails throughout the state.
The AB 109
offenders at the jail now have an average sentence of 3.25 years, and 69 of
them have a scheduled release date this year. However, many of them are serving
sentences longer than what the jail is used to with one serving a term of up to
16 years.
While the
jury found the medical care seems adequate for the time being, longer-term
inmates now being housed at the jail will present serious and long-term medical
issues the jail may not be prepared to handle.
The jury
recommends that the jail work with “county supervisors and administrators to
seek the needed funding to ensure that medical care keeps up with the increase
of long-term inmates,” according to the grand jury 2013-14 report.
Before AB
109, the jail wasn’t practicing preventable care such as annual exams said
Imperial County jail Correctional Chief Jamie Clayton, and the jail is
adjusting to provide that. It’s projected that it will cost the jail an
additional $4 million for the AB 109 inmates.
The Imperial
County jail has been granted $33 million through AB 900 for a new facility that
would entail a new medical unit. The conceptual design is on approval and a
project management firm is in place.
Clayton said
the new facility, which would be located behind the two present facilities, is
projected to be completed by the end of 2016 and will alleviate many projected
strains on the jail’s health care.
AB 900 began
in 2007 primarily to assist with prison inmates’ health care costs but may be
able to assist with jail medical costs, too.
Other
findings in the grand jury report included examining and repairing all doors,
locks and other area of physical security; making it a training issue for staff
to work with volunteers better; and openly recognize when staff members do a
good job and take steps to ensure good staff is retained.
Clayton said
a security company is coming in the next couple of weeks to review the
antiquated door-lock systems and the jail is also looking into streamlining the
volunteer application process to ensure that everyone is trained promptly.
Staff Writer
Chelcey Adami can be reached at 760-337-3452 or cadami@ivpressonline.com
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